Sanjay Manjrekar Admits He Once Doubted Ishan Kishan’s India Future

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar lauded Ishan Kishan’s batting development during India’s Asian Games semi-final versus Sri Lanka, highlighting how the left-hander has improved his game and learned to adapt to diverse situations.

During the innings break on Sony Sports Network, Manjrekar pondered on Kishan’s progression from an aggressive, muscle-first batter to a more complete player. He also compared his progress to that of Rishabh Pant, with whom Kishan previously played for India’s Under-19 team.

Sanjay Manjrekar stated that one of the most pressing questions about Kishan early in his career was whether he could adapt his approach to different environments and scenarios.

The former India batter then recalled seeing Kishan and Pant at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. According to Manjrekar, Kishan’s early approach was mainly reliant on power, and his technique and balance required improvement.

However, Sanjay Manjrekar believes Kishan has improved his natural attacking approach by adding more control and versatility. His appraisal came after Kishan hit a key unbeaten knock of 80 off 46 balls in the semi-final, despite India repeatedly losing wickets at the other end.

The former hitter emphasised Kishan’s shot selection and balance on a slow surface, citing his ability to analyse where the ball is and alter his response appropriately.

Sanjay Manjrekar went on to explain how Kishan was able to perform his straight lofted shots despite the lack of pace on the court.

Sanjay Manjrekar admits he initially doubted Kishan’s Indian potential.

Sanjay Manjrekar most telling revelation, however, came when he remembered on a time when Kishan’s status in the Indian team was questionable, despite having played one of the greatest individual centuries in ODI cricket.

Kishan made history by scoring a double century against Bangladesh in December 2022, becoming the youngest batter to do so in men’s one-day internationals. However, he struggled to establish himself as a regular in subsequent iterations, as competition for positions increased.

Reflecting on Kishan’s progress since then, Manjrekar revealed that there was a time when he questioned whether the left-hander would still be a part of India’s plans.

Kishan’s effort was especially vital as India closed their innings on 169/7. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi getting a quickfire 38 before being caught attempting to attack the bowling.

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Abhishek Sharma too fell while attempting to take on the bowlers, allowing Kishan to play a more calm innings. The disparity in approaches highlighted the evolution Manjrekar was pointing to, with Kishan demonstrating the ability to blend aggression with superior shot selection on a difficult surface.

Kunal Rajput